Data Sources
All food storage times published on Receipt 2 meal are derived from the following public food safety authorities:
| Source | Type | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service | Official food safety | Meat, poultry, egg storage times; safe cooking temperatures |
| FDA food safety guidance | Official food safety | Seafood, dairy, produce storage; general food handling |
| FoodSafety.gov | Public food safety | Cold food storage charts; leftover storage; cold storage temperatures |
| University Extension programs | Research/education | Food preservation methods; freezing techniques; produce storage |
Source Priority Levels
We prioritize sources in the following order. When higher-priority sources provide data for a given ingredient, we use those values. Lower-priority sources are only used when higher-priority sources do not cover the ingredient.
- Level 1 — Official food safety agencies: USDA, FDA, FoodSafety.gov, CDC. Used for meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and egg storage times; safe cooking temperatures; spoilage risk.
- Level 2 — University Extension and research institutions: Used for produce storage methods, freezing techniques, and home food preservation guidance.
- Level 3 — Public nutrition databases: Used for ingredient classification, nutrition labels, and dietary tags. Not used for food safety conclusions.
- Level 4 — Internal rules and AI-generated suggestions: Used for recipe ideas, meal plans, and zero-waste tips. Never used for food safety judgments.
Review Process
Every food storage page on Receipt 2 meal includes the following metadata:
- Last reviewed: The date the data was last checked against current public food safety guidance.
- Review status: "Fact-checked" means the storage times have been verified against the sources listed above.
- Source categories: The types of public food safety guidance referenced for that page.
High-risk ingredients (poultry, seafood, ground meat, dairy, eggs) receive extra scrutiny. If a storage time cannot be traced to a Level 1 or Level 2 source, it is not published.
Language Standards
Food safety is not absolute. Storage times depend on temperature, packaging, handling, and freshness. Therefore, all content on Receipt 2 meal uses cautious, conditional language:
| We Use | We Avoid |
|---|---|
| "usually lasts" | "always safe" |
| "general guidance" | "guaranteed fresh" |
| "when stored at 40°F or below" | "never spoils" |
| "for best quality" | "exactly safe for 3 days" |
| "when in doubt, throw it out" | "safe indefinitely" |
AI-Generated Content
Receipt 2 meal uses AI to generate recipe suggestions, meal plans, and zero-waste cooking tips. However, AI is never used to generate food safety conclusions. Specifically:
- Allowed: AI suggests recipes for expiring spinach, generates meal plans, and creates shopping lists.
- Not allowed: AI decides whether raw chicken is safe after 5 days in the fridge.
Food safety fields — storage times, spoilage signs, safe cooking temperatures, and safety notes — come from fixed data sources, not from model generation. AI may rephrase or format these fields, but cannot invent values.
Updates and Corrections
We review food storage data regularly. If you find an error or have a correction based on a public food safety source, please let us know through the app's feedback option.
Disclaimer
Storage times published on Receipt 2 meal are general household guidance and may vary based on freshness, packaging, temperature control, and handling. This website does not provide medical or professional food safety diagnosis. Always discard food with clear spoilage signs. When in doubt, throw it out.
Related Pages
- About Receipt 2 meal — Learn about our mission and how the app works
- Food Storage Guide — Complete shelf-life reference for 50+ ingredients
- All Guides — Browse all food storage and meal planning guides
- FAQ — Common questions about Receipt 2 meal